Can Miguel Cotto Upset Manny Pacquiao?

Miguel Cotto, 34-1, 27 KO’s, is a hard fighter to beat. His most recent accomplishments include a unanimous decision win over Shane Mosley, a close split decision over Joshua Clottey, and annihilations of Alfonso Gomez and Michael Jennings. Cotto’s record has a lone blemish, an eleventh round stoppage loss to Antonio Margarito. The loss to Margarito is greatly tempered by expectations, circumstances, and other bits of context. Margarito was a powerful contender at the time. He also likely had loaded mitts rather than standard gloves. Finally, Cotto has wins over the man that beat the man (Mosley) to complete a debatable rock-paper-scissors scenario. Even if we cannot completely refund the loss, it certainly deserves a discount. Cotto’s impressive performances have earned him a shot at Manny Pacquiao, one of the top two remaining prizes among active fighters. Next to Floyd Mayweather is the monstrously undisputed King of Cash. When he fights, the Philippines stop fighting. When he speaks, they listen. The world watches every time he laces up mitts. Pacquiao is steadily moving up the all-time charts both in his division and the Pound for Pound rankings. Cotto-Pacquiao is a hellacious fight, and both men should be credited for taking it. Whether or not Cotto has become the man to fight Pacquiao, however, is debatable. Pacquiao is a strong fighter, complete solid chops and speed to match. He was a blur against Oscar De La Hoya and a monster against Ricky Hatton. Some have gone as far as to discount the De La Hoya win by saying that the old man was over the hill and dehydrated. I find it funny that everyone (myself included) counted Pacquiao out before the fight, and then blamed the loss on something other than the fighter. The Pacman can’t win; even a 4-1 “upset special” annihilation gets him little to no respect. Pacquiao has gotten credit for the Hatton victory, but he gets no love from some of the Mayweather supporters. There are plenty of people out there that still refuse to recognize him as the Pound for Pound Champion of the world. I suppose there’s a legitimate case that he isn’t, depending on criteria. If a person is deciding Pound for Pound status based on simply the weight game, then Mayweather may be your man. If you want to focus on accomplishments and the level of opposition, I would say Manny is undeniably your man. Either way, Pacquiao deserves credit after securing the Ring Belt. The Ring was not so nice to Cotto. After beating one of the toughest guys alive in Clottey, he actually fell in the rankings by a few spots. Such a decision is dumbfounding. The Ring has always left the decision in the hands of the judges, so while one could argue that Clottey should have won the bout, such a choice would be well outside the realm of the decision of The Ring. Even if one went with Clottey, he would have to admit how impressive Cotto was in the process. Cotto fought an intelligent fight, and chose to continue through a hellacious cut. The decision was unnecessary; Cotto could have walked away with an easy victory after four rounds. Even so, he continued to scrap and gave the fans a decent fight as he gutted out a close but fair decision. Now, Cotto is likely in line for a fight with Manny Pacquiao. ESPN all but said that the fight was on several weeks ago, but the news has stereotypically declined to the level of negotiations. Cotto will still likely land the scrap because of his willingness to compromise both weight and dollars. That leaves Shane Mosley out in the cold. Mosley cannot fight Floyd Mayweather, JR., because Mayweather is fighting Juan Manuel Marquez in an effort to get at Pacquiao. Mosley already dispatched Margarito, and a rematch with the Mexican would be useless anyway. Mosley definitely doesn’t need to go to Mexico to fight him, so that’s completely off the table. That leaves a fight with Clottey, a bout with Paul Williams, or a tune up fight. None of those options are exactly appealing, seeing as how the first two guys are beastly in size and powerful in the fists. As one RSR forum poster recently stated, “For all the good it did him, he may as well have lost to Margo…” Mosley has already beaten a beastly man in the past year, so he may still be a favorite in those bouts. If Cotto fights Pacquiao and loses, Mosley will be there waiting for him. Given the options listed here, who wouldn’t be? Therefore, one of the burning questions that will decide the future of Mosley is whether or not Cotto will win or lose his next fight. Many have debated about it, and the Cotto supporters cite his body attack as a way to victory. I would agree that Cotto’s body attack is his best punch, but I don’t see that working this time around. In fact, I see Cotto having trouble with all of his best weapons against Pacquiao:

#1 The Body Attack

Cotto is a classic digger to the guts, wearing out legs and protection before whacking away at the head. That usually works, but he’s in for real trouble against Pacquiao, who likes to rip combos and get out of the pocket. Furthermore, Pacquiao can deliver downstairs, too, pitting Cotto against a man that equals his best strengths. If Cotto tries to work downstairs, I see him getting ripped and wearing out to the point where his punches lack the steam necessary to slow a fiery Pacquiao.

#2 The Left Hook

This is Cotto’s prime weapon against Pacquiao. Marquez was able to secure solid showings against Pacquiao by countering, and Cotto is a great counterpuncher with a more powerful set of power shots. If he times his left hook just right, he can hurt Pacquiao and even take him out. This is easier said than done, and I would hate to reduce Cotto’s chances to that of a “puncher,” but he may have to take what he can get.

#3 The Dance

Cotto won his fight against Clottey by hitting and not getting hit in the most pivotal rounds. He probably would have out-boxed Margarito if the Mexican had not loaded his gloves prior to the fight (I know it was never “proven,” so don’t flood my inbox). That won’t work against Pacquiao. Trying to outbox a faster, more versatile man is like fighting for peace. We all saw what happened against De La Hoya. My advice to Cotto is to wait for the left hook and preserve his strength. The last four men that have fought Pacquiao were out of gas after three rounds. Cotto needs to keep this fight going so he can use his naturally bigger size to bully Pacquiao late. I don’t see that happening, but I hope it does. A Cotto victory would rumble the Pound for Pound rankings in a way that profoundly changes the sport of Boxing.

Prediction: Pacquiao by mid rounds stoppage.

.....source

For Pacquiao, the list has gotten really short

Jim Lampley once remarked during a fight, "Manny Pacquiao is a storm!"

That was years ago. Lampley nor anybody else knew just how devastating the Pacquiao storm would become in the following years. Here we are in 2009, and the former flyweight champion of the world currently sits on the 140-pound throne, has retired Oscar de la Hoya, been involved in two straight "Event of the Year" fights, demolished a game Ricky Hatton in under two rounds, and overall done things that would've been unthinkable even a few years ago.

On November 14, he'll go up to a 145-pound catchweight to try and capture Miguel Cotto's WBA welterweight title. I've said already that Cotto is a seriously dagerous opponent, no matter what anyone else might think, and he should be treated as such. A Pacquiao steamroll job would be jaw-dropping in this fight.

I also remarked at the end of the article that to some, it seems like all that would be acceptable is a time-traveling Pacquiao that battles Sugar Ray Robinson for all-time supremacy. In some ways, it's understandable that Pacquiao's opponents will be downplayed. There are precious few fighters that present a great danger to him these days. He's become that good. Sure, welterweight is legitimately the highest he could possibly go (I mean it has to be, right?), and bigger guys than that could have their way with him simply on size. I joked after the Hatton fight that if Pacquiao challenged 6'2" middleweight champion Kelly Pavlik, I'd pick Manny. But realistically Pavlik would take his head off at some point (he'd have to, right?).

Manny has also given the impression that he won't be staying in boxing forever. He has political aspirations in the Philippines, is going to make another boat load of money to fight Cotto, and there are a lot of other things he can now do with his life. You never know until it's truly over, but Manny might not be here more than a few more fights.

There are good and even great challenges out there for him, though. Let's take a look at five guys that I think could give Manny a serious run for his money in the ring.

5. Edwin Valero

I'll say right now I'm not listing Juan Manuel Marquez among my five most dangerous Pacquiao opponents, and it's not because I don't think he's a better fighter than at least four of the guys on this list in a pound-for-pound sense. But Marquez is getting older and with the roll Pacquiao's on and the fact that it'd have to be at at least 140 pounds, I just don't think the matchup is good for JMM anymore. He's surprised me before, but I think the weight is bad for him against a younger, faster guy that has knocked him down four times in two fights at lower weights.

Valero (25-0, 25 KO) likely gets mowed down in five or so rounds by Pacquiao. That's my gut feeling. But Valero is 27 years old, a fellow southpaw, seriously hungry, and has wicked power. Nasty, one-shot, out on your ass and you don't know what happend-style power. A guy that hits like Valero can stop anyone within size reason, and he's taller than Pacquiao and has a two-inch reach advantage. He could probably handle 140 as a weight just as well as he has 130 and 135 so far. Valero, of course, wants the fight, and Top Rank has made some hints that they'd like to get it done in the future. Bob Arum promotes both men, so it'd be win-win and money all around for him, but it's not a superfight, and there's still the matter of licensing Valero anywhere in the U.S. that isn't Texas.

4. Miguel Cotto

Pacquiao's next opponent will get his chance to dethrone the P4P king, though it probably wouldn't make him the P4P king, so "dethrone" isn't really the right word -- he would more serve as a hitman for the Mayweather-Marquez winner to firmly move into the No. 1 slot.

I do understand a few of the concerns about Cotto and his alleged decline. He didn't attack the body against Clottey the way he's known to do, but I think he had the mindset going in that Clottey wasn't going to get hurt. Fighters know how hard they hit, and they know who's vulnerable to what. Clottey is an excellent defensive fighter and a tough son of a gun, and Cotto came out to box him. When he didn't have that same idea against Michael Jennings, he still attacked with righteous fury. I get the feeling he's not going to see Manny the way he did the bigger, physically stronger Clottey. I think Miguel's going to attack Pacquiao and test him out quickly.

And it's also worth saying that Cotto is a dirty fighter when he feels the need to be. If Pacquiao starts getting the best of him, Miguel is not above a low blow. I mean let's just call a spade a spade here. He takes momentum -- or stops it -- any way he has to. Some people find this despicable. I'm on the fence. It's something you have to take into account going into a fight with Cotto. He's a hot-headed, mean fighter.

The "iceman" Cotto, the guy that stared at Alfonso Gomez like he wanted to eat his liver, that guy can beat Pacquiao, and Pacquiao better believe it.

3. Shane Mosley

Shane Mosley may be older, but until he looks rough at 147 pounds, I see him as a serious problem for Manny Pacquiao or anyone else for that matter. His last two welterweight fights were a great, competitive loss to an on top of his game Cotto and a complete ass-whooping of Antonio Margarito. He doesn't look good at 154, not that he ever looked too great that high in weight, but at 147 he's still among the sport's elite.

Mosley's speed and intensity could be troublesome for Manny, and let's not forget that he's a full three inches taller than Pacquiao. That height did nothing for Oscar de la Hoya, but Oscar didn't look so great against veteran gatekeeper Steve Forbes months prior to that. It's not the same thing. It's not an excuse: Oscar was fairly shot, the weight killed him, and Pacquiao took him to the woodshed. It doesn't diminish what Pacquiao did to him. Freddie Roach said that's exactly what would happen: Oscar wouldn't be good at 147 and wouldn't be able to pull the trigger. That's why they took what was at the time a nearly unthinkable matchup.

Shane's a different beast. He's still got two loaded guns and he fires at will. I also think Manny's speed, his southpaw stance, and his ability to get in and out at tough angles make him very hard for Shane to handle, too. It's a great fight on paper.

2. Paul Williams

I'm kind of copping out putting Williams at No. 2, because of all the guys that could realistically get down to 147 or a couple pounds lower, Paul Williams is by far the hardest matchup for Manny. Williams is a freak of nature, a 6'1" guy that pumps his fists at a hellacious rate and has a longer reach than Vitali Klitschko.

Manny would have a long night ahead of him against "The Punisher." If he wanted to, Williams could fire off his jab and keep Manny at bay all night. It's never really been Williams' strength, even though it should be, but he's also a really good inside fighter for a guy with such massively long arms.

His workrate, stamina, and power at 147 are tough enough to top. When you factor in the gross physical advantages he'd have over Pacquiao (and just about anyone), it's easy to see why he bounces around divisions looking for the best fights. Nobody wants to fight this guy because he's such a unique challenge.

One of the bigger reasons I stuck him at No. 2 instead of No. 1 is that the fight is so unlikely he might as well not even be mentioned, but he deserves to be, so...whatever. I mean, it's not even a guarantee he could make welterweight anymore, even though he says he can.

1. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Of course. Of course.

Look, even if you "hate" Mayweather, it doesn't take a genius to see where he could give Manny trouble. Floyd is a master counter-puncher with extremely fast hands and pinpoint accuracy. He's not the biggest hitter in the world, but his power has become underrated. There is nobody close to Pacquiao or with a knowledge of style matchups that would say anything less than Floyd is conceivably the toughest fight of Manny Pacquiao's life. Pacquiao has beaten brawlers, boxers, and fighters of all styles, but he has never faced someone as slick and tricky as the "Pretty Boy."

What makes a potential Pacquiao-Mayweather fight so desirable is that style clash. Pacquiao is a better boxer than Mayweather would ever give him credit for, but he's not the sort of pure talent that Floyd is. Floyd's entire life has been boxing, and he's a rare talent. Thousands and thousands of men have stepped into pro rings over the years, and few of them have Mayweather's God-given gifts.

But what would he do with one of those Pacquiao charges? You can only avoid so much, only block so much, and Pacquiao also has a style that Mayweather has really never seen. I haven't gone as bananas about this fight as a lot of people have, and I'd still personally rather see Mosley-Pacquiao, and I like Cotto-Pacquiao better as far as the fight goes. But Pacquiao-Mayweather is such an important fight -- if both win this fall, anyway -- that it really should happen. I don't think it has to happen, and part of that is my reluctance to believe it ever really will. But that would be the most important fight in boxing in a long, long, long time, and for good reason.

....source

Marquez Prepared to beat Mayweather

Manuel Marquez (50-4-1, 37 KO’s) is ready to pull off a major upset on September 19th in his mega fight with undefeated pound-for-pound boxing star Floyd Mayweather Jr. (39-0, 25 KO’s) at the MGM Grand, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Marquez, 35, has put on weight, gotten much stronger and is hitting harder than he ever did before. Marquez is making no secret about what he plans to do against the 32-year-old Mayweather, intending on attacking him to the body.

Mayweather struggled in the past when facing Jose Luis Castillo, a huge body puncher, who attacked Mayweather downstairs often in their two fights in 2002. Although Castillo lost both of the fights, many people boxing fans feel that Mayweather lost the first fight in April 2002.

Marquez has been training in the mountains for his bout with Mayweather, running hills and lifting large rocks to strengthen his legs, arms and shoulders. Marquez sees Mayweather as having a weakness in taking body shots and intends on working in that area against him. Mayweather recently sustained an injury to one of his ribs while in training. He won’t say what was the cause of the injury, but speculation is that one of his hard-hitting sparring partners hurt him with a big body shot while training.

Mayweather has since healed up and barring another injury, will be ready for their bout in September. Mayweather hasn’t fought in two years since retiring after his 10th round TKO victory over Ricky Hatton in 2007.

Rumored to be in need of money, Mayweather has come back with the goal of fighting Manny Pacquiao. However, instead of taking an easy tune-up for the fight, Mayweather decided on Marquez, who he points out really beat Pacquiao in both of Marquez’s prior two fights with Manny.

Mayweather figures that by beating Marquez and hopefully Pacquiao, if he can land a fight with him, Mayweather would be beating two of the best fighters in all of boxing. However, it won’t be easy, because the time away from boxing surely couldn’t have helped Mayweather’s skills any.

Mayweather looks noticeably older, less youthful than he did two years ago and there’s a question whether he still has what it takes. For a fighter to take off that much time from the sport, especially a fighter in the lighter weight classes, it’s often difficult, if not impossible, for them to stage a successful comeback. Usually the fighters in the smaller weight classes are unable to come back successfully once they retire for any length of time. The heavyweight class is a different story.

Fighters like George Foreman, Vitali Klitschko and to a lesser extent Larry Holmes, were able to come back to the sport after an extensive amount of time in retirement. For Mayweather to do it, will be a tough task. However, the advantage that he has over normal fighters is that he was so good before he retired that even if he’s only 75% of what he used to be, it might be just enough to get a win over Marquez.

Additionally, Mayweather is the bigger fighter, used to fighting at welterweight compared to Marquez, a former featherweight who has been moving up in weight the past year.

.....source

All-Talk No-Action Haye Avoids His Second Klitschko

“Haye is a little, inexperienced kid,” -Wladimir Klitschko

Davey Haye told the boxing world he was going to rid the heavyweight division of the boring, robotic Klitschkos, and be the new star of boxing. He said he’d beat them both easy…

“The Hayemaker doesn’t lie.”

“I can’t wait to go up to the heavyweight division and knock that bum (Wladimir) out.”

“I’m taking this fight to save boxing. I’m doing this for Jack Dempsey, Rocky Marciano, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and all the other great, smaller heavyweights of the past.”

“I feel as though I’ve been sent by all the great heavyweights of yesteryear to clean up and save the heavyweight division.”

“I’m a man on a mission to save boxing from this Eastern European invasion of Ivan Drago clones. The clean-up operation starts with Wladimir on June 20.”

“I’m so pleased we’ve finally managed to get this fight on.”

“Klitschko’s last opponents were cowards and I will knock him out and take his belts back to London. I guarantee I’ll knock him out in spectacular fashion. I’m his worst nightmare. Klitschko will be one of my easiest fights.”

“That’s not all, I will also go and get Vitali’s belt. None of them can stop me. The new world heavyweight champion will soon be David Haye.”

“I’ll be undefeated champion in quick time.”

“I do not lie. There’s nothing they can do. I don’t care how big they are. The bigger they are the harder they fall. I’m coming to get all of you. All of you. You better run. The Hayemaker prevails every time.”

As it turns out, Davey Haye wasn’t telling the truth. My theory for what really happened here is Haye failed to intimidate WBO/IBF champ Klitschko with all the fantasy confident talk. Eventually reality set in and the truth dawned on the immature Haye about what he was up against. He saw the look of death in Wladimir’s eyes at the press conferences, he heard the stern vehemence in his voice, promising to punish and mutilate Haye for all the disrespect. Haye got cold feet and pulled out of the June 20 date with Wladimir with the supposed back injury.

Then WBC champ Vitali Klitschko offered Haye another crack at the title for September. Haye pretended like he wanted the fight, negotiations proceeded. Then suddenly, Haye faked his way out again, taking an offer from Nikolay Valuev, Don King and Wilfried Sauerland.

Aside from Mike Tyson in his worst days, I have never seen such blatant and appalling behavior by a man being offered a chance at the richest, most prestigious title in all of sport. A double-talking, time wasting, posturing phony, Haye has shown himself to be a disgrace to the sport of boxing.

Haye can complain now all he wants about the “slave” contract, but as far back as February, he said everything was agreed on, yet he wouldn’t sign till over a month later.

As managing director of Klitschko Management Group, Bernd Boente has had to deal with Haye’s nonsense for six months and is understandably annoyed. “First of all, I feel sorry for the team of the Commerzbank-Arena and for the boxing fans in the Frankfurt region. We will try to set up another Klitschko fight in this wonderful arena as soon as possible. Also for us, the cancellation was very surprising as we got informed about it through the media. Haye’s manager, Adam Booth, did not even have the courage to give me a call personally and tell me about their decision – for me a sign of his inexistent class. Background of the pull-out are definitely the bad pay-per-view-TV figures of BSkyB in England.”

“The last fights of Ricky Hatton and new English star Amir Khan (last weekend against Andreas Kotelnik) both had very poor sales on TV (Khan vs. Kotelnik less than 30,000 viewers). It was Haye’s desire to base his purse on the British TV earnings.”

“Haye and his manager, whose home base is in the Turkish part of Cyprus for fiscal reasons, seem to have realized all of a sudden, that we have a global economic depression and English boxing fans are not that easily willing to pay 15 pounds for a bout. All the excuses of adhesion contracts are complete rubbish as Haye had already signed the same contract for the fight against Wladimir in June, which also contained a usual rematch clause and a pure Klitschko option. And for that fight he also pulled out. By the way, Vitali and myself attended Haye’s last fight against Monte Barrett at the O2 Arena in London. There were possibly 6.000 fans in a 20.000 seat arena. The guy is not a big draw in England at all. We were always surprised that he expected to get 2.7 million pounds out of the English pay-per-view sales for a fight against Vitali or Wladimir,” Böente continued.

Wladimir Klitschko added, “During the negotiations for my June fight, we realized quickly that Haye and Booth are very unprofessional. Booth might be a good trainer but as a manager he is simply incompetent. David always had a big mouth and tried to offend us with ridiculous self-made t-shirts. But when it comes up to step into the ring and show what he’s got, he runs away. He even admits that fighting Valuev is the easier way. For me Haye is a little, inexperienced kid who is afraid of his own courage. Doubtless, my brother would have knocked him out within the first four rounds.”

Haye’s actions and behavior are unbecoming of a challenger wishing to receive an opportunity to fight for the world heavyweight championship, as one British boxing fan named Craig Hyman stated:

“I feel the way David Haye conducts himself out of the ring, especially towards the Klitschkos, is a disgrace. To have an advert put in a magazine of him holding a decapitated head of Wladimir is just childish and wrong. I think David’s ego and arrogance have got the better of him. Lessons will be learned when he is defeated by one of the Klitschkos, who I might add act in a courteous, mature and respectable manner. I cannot support a boxer who conducts himself like Haye does. To be confident is great and reassuring but to be arrogant is demeaning and unattractive. Act like a gentleman, be respectful to others and earn the right to fight for the heavyweight title. Then maybe you will get what you crave…oh and a few more fans!

...source

MARQUEZ: "I KNOW WHERE HE'S BEEN HURT AND I'M GOING FOR IT!"

Mexico City, Mex. (July 23) -Reports out of Mexico City, where five-time World Champion Juan Manuel Marquez is back in training for his scheduled September 19 bout (at MGM Grand in Las Vegas and televised live on HBO Pay-Per-View®) against Floyd Mayweather (Mayweather vs. Marquez "Number One/Numero Uno"), confirm that Marquez is bigger, stronger and punching "to the body" harder than ever as he pushes his training regime to new heights in preparation for his ultimate challenge against Mayweather.

Eyewitnesses say it is evident that not only is Marquez bigger, but his training includes a special focus on body work and technique as he looks to defeat the undefeated Mayweather, a six-time World Champion in five weight divisions. "I know where he's been hurt and I'm going for it," said Marquez. "He is vulnerable now and I will take advantage of his weakness with a body attack that emphasizes two things-the right and the left." Another testament to this new resolve are his grueling two-hour runs in the mountains of Nevado de Toluca at a staggering elevation of 13,500 feet. "The mountain is a magic place and gives me the freedom to visualize the night of the fight and how I am going to beat him," said Marquez. "It is also building my endurance, making my legs stronger and building muscle across my whole body." Marquez has also been adding weight as he works through technique in training. Marquez finished, "I've been working gradually with the extra weight, which is going to be pure muscle and make me stronger than ever by the time I step in the ring September 19. Mayweather is going to be the first one to feel the difference." Mayweather vs. Marquez: "Number One/Numero Uno," is promoted by Mayweather Promotions and Golden Boy Promotions in association with Marquez Promotions and is sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, Quaker State, Dewalt Tools, Affliction Clothing and Southwest Airlines. The 12-round bout will take place Saturday, September 19 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV. The Mayweather vs. Marquez pay-per-view telecast, beginning at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, has a suggested retail price of $49.95, will be produced and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View® and will be available to more than 71 million pay-per-view homes. The telecast will be available in HD-TV for those viewers who can receive HD. HBO Pay-Per-View®, a division of Home Box Office, Inc., is the leading supplier of event programming to the pay-per-view industry. For Mayweather vs. Marquez fight week updates, log on to www.hbo.com. HBO's Emmy®-Award-winning all-access reality series "24/7" returns to HBO® with an all new edition as "Mayweather/Marquez 24/7" premieres Saturday, August 29 at 10:15 pm ET/PT. The four-episode series will chronicle the preparations and back stories of both fighters as they train for their September 19 pay-per-view showdown. Tickets priced at $1,000, $750, $600, $300 and $150, not including applicable service charges, are on sale now and limited to 10 per person and ticket sales at $150 are limited to two (2) per person with a total ticket limit of 10 per person. To charge by phone with a major credit card, call Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. Tickets also are available for purchase at www.mgmgrand.com or www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets previously purchased for the July 18 date will be honored. .....source

SHOCKER! HAYE PULLS OUT VS. VITALI BUT SIGNS FOR VALUEV

Valuev-Haye on for November 7th

On the eve of the press conference to announce the fight, ex-world cruiserweight champion David Haye spurned a WBC title fight against Vitali Klitschko on September 12th and instead will challenge WBA heavyweight champion Nikolai Valuev on November 7th. No site for Valuev-Haye yet, but it is expected to land in Germany (Vitali Klitschko had a press conference set for tomorrow in Frankfurt). Haye, who has now left both Klitschko brothers standing at the altar, released a statement of explanation to the German boxing public.

Dear German Boxing Fans,

This is David "The Hayemaker" Haye , the soon-to-be world heavyweight champion, and there are some interesting things I‘d like to tell you about. First of all, let me express my gratitude for your steady support in the last few months – it really means a lot to me. Please keep it up.

There have been reports in the German press that I have signed to fight Vitali Klitschko in September. That is not true. There have been long and exhausting discussions about the clash but unfortunately I could never put my name under the fight contract that the Klitschko's offered to me. The level of disrespect they have shown me throughout the entire process has left me feeling insulted. As for the contract, now that I realise just how much support and interest that I have had from the people in Germany, signing it would have been like selling my soul to the devil. I will not be a slave fighter.

Through mutual friends and coincidence my manager Adam Booth and I happened to come in touch with Kalle Sauerland. We hit it off straight away and reached a deal in a heartbeat. I am thrilled to announce that I will realise my dream of becoming the world heavyweight champion in November when I will challenge the biggest and tallest champion of all time, Nikolai Valuev on November 7th. Mark my words: I will be the first man to put him on the floor. I will slay the giant and take his title. It will be a true David vs. Goliath battle – and you know how the first clash ended some thousands of years ago.

Once I have snatched Valuev's title, I will be happy to battle out
heavyweight supremacy with the Klitschkos, but ONLY under equal and fair terms. As the WBA heavyweight champion, I should be able to fight them without having to sign my life away. I only hope that they still want to fight me after I have slayed the beast!

See you in November when David will be flattening Goliath once again.

Yours truly,

David “The Haymaker” Haye

source: sauerland event

......boxingtalk.com

Cotto is Pacquiao's first real challenge since Marquez

Manny Pacquiao’s accomplishments mustn’t be diminished. In the past year, he has dismantled three world-class opponents in three weight divisions to earn comparisons to the great Henry Armstrong. He deserves the windfall of accolades he has received. At the same time, whether anyone likes it or not, we can look at those three opponents and find significant flaws. David Diaz is tough and well-schooled but not an elite fighter. Oscar De La Hoya, once one of the best, was a zombie the night he met Pacquiao because of weight loss and natural deterioration. And Ricky Hatton, when it came down to it, was good but overrated. This is one reason the announcement that Pacquiao will face Miguel Cotto on Nov. 14 is so exciting: You can’t find a comparable flaw in the Puerto Rican. He is relatively young (28), a gifted boxer, naturally bigger than Pacquiao and will be fighting only two pounds out of his natural weight class. Thus, this will be Pacquiao’s biggest challenge since he outpointed Juan Manuel Marquez in March of last year and might go further than any other fight in determining just how good the Filipino icon really is. Some have suggested that Cotto is in decline after the tremendous beating he took from Antonio Margarito in July of last year. They point to his narrow victory over rugged, but limited Joshua Clottey as evidence. I didn’t see it that way. I saw a tough guy fight gallantly through a gruesome cut –- when others might’ve quit –- and find a way to beat a very strong, proven veteran who was fit and determined to win. I thought it was an outstanding performance by Cotto. If he can find a way to beat Pacquiao, which is a distinct possibility, talk of his demise beforehand will seem foolish. Several knowledgeable observers have suggested that Cotto struggles only when his opponent backs him up, as Margarito did. And Pacquiao doesn’t fight like Margarito. Moving forward, Cotto can be a dominating fighter. And many still wonder what will happen when Pacquiao takes a big punch from a real welterweight, as Cotto is. The guess here is that his chin will be tested as never before. Bottom line: Cotto is big enough, experienced enough and good enough to beat the most-celebrated fighter in the world, a fact that Pacquaio’s many fans will find hard to swallow. It’s true, though; it can happen. But it won’t. In the end, I think Pacquiao will win the fight for one overriding reason: talent. Cotto was and remains an elite fighter. Anyone who beats Shane Mosley and compiles a record like his (34-1, 27 knockouts) is among the best at his craft. However, he’s no Pacquiao, whose natural gifts and refinement under trainer Freddie Roach are rare. Cotto is a very good boxer, Pacquaio a great boxer. And when very good meets great, great wins. Pacquiao might not be able to move Cotto backward as Margarito did but he presents many other problems. He might have the fastest hands in the world. He has learned to use his quick feet to get in (to do damage) and out (to avoid it) before his opponents can react. And he demonstrated in chilling fashion against Hatton that he can knock out a bigger man. The point of this is that it won’t be easy for Pacquiao, as the Diaz, De La Hoya and Hatton fights were. He’ll take punches from Cotto. He’ll find him difficult to hit at times. He’ll even lose rounds, which somehow seems unfathomable in light of his recent performances. Then, when he wins, it’ll mean that much more. He will have beaten a fighter who belongs on the pound-for-pound list and who was at his best at the time they fought. And afterward, no one will be able to say, “Yeah, Pacquaio won but …” .....source

FREDDIE ROACH: "WE'RE GOING TO KNOCKOUT COTTO"

Despite the fact that contracts have yet to be signed by either fighter, world-renowned trainer Freddie Roach has already come on record to give his prediction regarding the highly-anticipated clash between Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto. "We're going to knockout Cotto," he informed Carlos Gonzalez of Primera Hora. "I don't have anything bad to say about Cotto. I believe he's an excellent athlete that is always well-prepared for his fights, but I have trust in the abilities of Manny and I believe that we're going to knockout Cotto", Roach stated during a telephone interview. Indeed, Roach is no stranger to making accurate predictions when it comes to Manny Pacquiao as he correctly foretold the 9th round stoppage of David Diaz. He also confidently predicted that Pacquiao would knockout both Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, although he was technically off by one round in both bouts. "Without doubt, there will be a war! Manny and Miguel have many similarities in their styles, but the speed of Manny will be too much for Miguel", Roach continued. I've said it before and I'll say it again, Freddie Roach knows boxing and given his recent track record when it comes to Pacquiao's fights, you would be wise to listen to his analysis. If you've ignored his predictions in the past, this time, maybe you shouldn't! Don't be afraid to lay some money down on Manny Pacquiao by stoppage!

.....source

Boxing Perspective: The Super Six Tournament

Recently, it was announced by Showtime that they were putting a super six tournament together, comprising of the six top super middleweights, bar one, a certain Lucian Bute, to face off against each other in order to ascertain the new king of the division.

As the WBC and WBA titles are on the line, this looks set to be a very exciting event indeed. As most, including myself, were relatively confused as to how this would take place, allow me to simplify...

The tournament participants are, in alphabetical order, as follows:

Arthur Abraham, Berlin, Germany: 30-0 (24), IBF Middleweight Champion
Andre Dirrell, Flint, MI: 18-0 (13), 2004 Olympic Medallist
Carl Froch, Nottingham, England: 25-0 (20), WBC Super Middle Champion
Mikkel Kessler, Copenhagen, Denmark: 41-1 (31), WBA Super Middle Champion
Jermain Taylor, Little Rock, AR: 28-3-1 (17), former Unified Middleweight Champion
Andre Ward, Oakland, CA: 19-0 (12), 2004 Olympic Gold Medallist

Rules
Each boxer will fight three bouts against different opponents in a round-robin, points based competition. Points will be awarded after each bout.

Scoring is as follows:
2 points for a win, with a 1 point stoppage bonus
1 point for a draw
0 points for a loss

The top four point scorers in the initial phase will compete in the semi finals with the bottom two participants eliminated.

The point leader at this stage will be pitted against against the last place fighter and the second place fighter will face the third in single elimination bouts. The winners of these two bouts will fight in the final round of competition.

Group Stage i matchups:
Carl Froch vs. Andre Dirrell for WBC World Championship
Jermain Taylor vs. Arthur Abraham
Mikkell Kessler vs. Andre Ward for WBA World Championship

Obviously, Mikkel Kessler is the tournament favourite. The WBA champion has 41 wins, 31 of those wins coming by way of KO, and has lost only to Joe Calzaghe in 2007.

The title of underdog has to go to Jermain Taylor as he has lost three of his 32 fights, albeit to Carl Froch in April of this year and twice to Kelly Pavlik, he also has a draw against Winky Wright on his record from 17th June, 2006.

Focusing on the Group Stage matches, Jermain Taylor has a relatively hard start against hard hitting "King" Arthur Abraham, in that Abraham is undefeated, with 30 fights, 24 KO's, and has faced good competition on the way up such as, Edison Miranda twice, and Elvin Ayala, for which he travelled to the states.

Namely, the first fight with Miranda is the key here as Abraham had a broken jaw in two places from the 4th round on and continued through the fight to take the decision. Taylor in his most recent performance un-loaded all he had on a near defenceless Carl Froch, putting him down in the 3rd round and in all honesty was boxing beautifully, until somewhere around the 9th.

At that point Taylor started tarted un-ravelling, just as he had done in the seventh against Pavlik, and that could be put down to the cracking shots Pavlik was throwing his way, or because Taylor gassed out.

Either way, the same thing happened against Froch, and Abraham has as good a chin as Froch. Although this is not at middleweight, where Abraham has been residing, and Abraham could struggle coming up.

Overall, I think Abraham will stop Taylor late in the fight after Taylor has thrown everything but the kitchen sink at him.

Kessler vs. Ward is a very interesting matchup especially with Kessler's WBA title up for grabs. As already covered, Kessler going into this as the favourite and former Gold medal winner Ward is looking like he has a bit of a mountain to climb.

Ward is superbly gifted in hand-speed, agility, movement and he can bang a bit too, but Kessler has fought good opposition in Anthony Mundine, Markus Beyer and Librado Andrade.

Kessler has good KO power is technically gifted and has a good chin but in his sole loss to Calzaghe, which I might add was a good battle, he lost from round 5-6 onwards as slowly but surely Calzaghe upped the work-rate, put on the pressure and got the decision, laying a blue-print that stated quite simply...take this man out of his comfort zone, he really doesn't like it.

But the fact that Calzaghe made it possible doesn't mean that anyone in the tournament can do the same thing. By the same token, Ward could use his speed to fluster Kessler, and outwork him.

This brings us neatly onto our third match-up; Carl Froch vs. Andre Dirrell. Froch's WBC belt is on the line here while Dirrell is another former Olympian, having won the Bronze medal as a middleweight in the 2004 summer Olympics.

Dirrell was a standout amateur and won the National Amateur Championship in 2003. He has great hand-speed and is very well schooled, but has not exactly had any tough tests yet.
This of course does not rule him out of the competition; it just looks more one-sided on paper.

Dirrell has had 18 fights, won all of them, 13 by KO, and is a flashy counterpuncher who can switch-hit to a certain degree.

Froch has had 25 fights, with 20 of them not going the distance. He also turns up with a wealth of amateur experience including two ABA middleweight titles and a bronze medal at the 2001 World Amateur Boxing Championships.

On a domestic level, Froch retired veteran ex-world champion Robin Reid in the fifth, had a few more not so big names on the list, and moved onto his first world title fight against Jean Pascal.

If you have not seen the Pascal fight then it is well worth watching, as it is a hard fought, drawn out battle with both men hurting each other several times throughout, but neither refusing to back down. It was a war.

Froch came through that and just squeezed the decision. When he fought Jermain Taylor for his first defence of the WBC title back in April of this year, he travelled across the pond to fight, and it seemed that nerves got to him a bit that night.

The first four rounds were terrible for Froch, as he just looked like he couldn't get going. He was stiff, frozen like a rabbit in headlights, until Taylor's superb boxing left Froch sat on his bum in the middle of the third round looking as if he had no idea what just hit him.

In all fairness, he had a completely hostile crowd around him that were all cheering on their home fighter and Froch, knowing that not one UK television broadcaster picked up the viewing rights, was really up against it that night but that seemed to fuel him on as he started to pick up the pace around the 10th round.

He was hitting Taylor with some good clean shots and that, as well as the previous 11 rounds of Taylor's relentless attacking of Froch, got too much for the American and Froch stopped him in the twelfth with about 10 seconds to go.

Froch was behind on all judge's scorecards with massive margins in Taylor's favour. Froch recently commented on the announcement of the Super Six tournament at a press conference held by Showtime where all participants were present, speaking of his opponent, 'I am not one for studying fighters, I have seen one round of his where I saw that Dirrell had hand-speed and could switch-hit, but he doesn't have loads of power and hasn't really been tested, lets see how he fares when I take him into the trenches.

'It's a really exciting competition as you have two world champions in myself and Kessler, a world champion in Abraham but he dominated at middleweight so we don't know if he will be able to dominate at super middleweight.

'Taylor, as we all know, is a excellent fighter, and the two unbeaten prospects, so it looks to be the most exciting tournament in years and great for boxing'.

Froch obviously fancies the job against Dirrell, and even went as far as to say, with confidence and conviction, that he will be the last man standing. Whether you agree or not you have to love his confidence.

Froch will be the favorite and Dirrell, as he is not as talented as Taylor or Pascal, could struggle but there is no way I would rule him out, as a lot of writers and fans are. Should he win, Froch could be fighting Kessler next, which is an entirely different story altogether.

Kessler, who will have to get past Andre Ward, is defensively excellent, and a brilliant counterpuncher with a granite chin. I can't see Froch stopping Kessler, but then I can't see Kessler stopping Froch.

The blueprint to defeat Kessler has been laid by Calzaghe and if Froch could increase the pressure and the volume thrown, he could make it an uncomfortable night for Kessler. Of course, saying these things is a great deal easier than actually doing it, and Kessler won't exactly just let Froch take him out of his rhythm.

Froch vs Abraham would be a barn-storm of a fight, both having a lot of power and neither being defensive wizards. If it happens, this one could be very exciting, as Abraham does have a defence of sorts, he smothers his head and tucks up for a ot of the early rounds whilst figuring out his opponents. When he thinks he has their number, he opens up and usually finishes the job in spectacular fashion. The KO reel of Abraham is good to watch, he flattens people.

Froch has flattened his fair share of opponents as well, but it's too far off to call the victor really, it will be good to see how they get on in their first and second stages.

But with Dirrell coming up first, Froch will have a hard night's work ahead, as will Dirrell. Froch has a very awkward style with an almost nonchalant defence and keeps his hands relatively low, using his shoulders to bounce the punches off or catch them with his glove.

Of course, this lack-lustre defence was totally exposed against Taylor, but it was Froch's iron will, determination and heart that secured him the win. He can also hit hard, he has KO power and because of his awkward style, is able to throw shots from the outside without leaving himself dangerously open for a counter.

Hopefully, the occasion will not get to him this time around as it did against Taylor, as Froch has now been in front of a huge hostile home crowd, been out-boxed and put on his arse, but staging that kind of dramatic performance in his first fight in the states has to act as a huge confidence boost.

Some prospects in the states and the UK would barely experience all of that in 25-30 fights, with the learning curve being that padded, gradual and slo. Dirrell has never fought anyone like Froch and although Dirrell could dominate the early rounds with flashes of brilliance, at the end of the day Froch will either stop him very late or take a close unanimous decision with Froch's heart overpowering Dirrell's skill.

Either way, boxing fans are all in for a treat.

Froch could make a serious impact on the tournament and could make it to the later stages with some good points behind him. And, he certainly could win Super Six.

Whether he will or not is a different story.

.....source

PACQUIAO ATTEMPTS TO MAKE MORE HISTORY!

San Francisco, CA — During the post-fight interview of the international feed back in June of 2008, Manny Pacquiao, who just won the Lightweight title when he knocked out David Diaz, said he was willing to fight anyone from lightweight to even Jr. Welterweight. But when the question of fighting at Welterweight was proposed, Manny quickly laughed and said that was too high. Then, his promoter, Bob Arum, said that Manny would fight anyone in the world except Miguel Cotto. My, have times changed since then.

After about a month of negotiating, Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto have officially agreed to fight on November 14 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Cotto, 34-1 (27 KOs), was last seen escaping with his WBO Welterweight title when he won a split decision over Joshua Clottey. Cotto took a lot of damage from the skilled and tough Clottey, but he was able to come back late to retain the title. Pacquiao, 49-3-2 (37 KOs), is coming off his most explosive win of his career when he blasted Ricky Hatton in just two rounds. Both fighters have agreed to catch-weight of 145lbs—two pounds below the welterweight limit. Barring any potential December fights, the Pacquiao-Cotto match will be the last big fight of 2009. This match-up features two of the most popular fighters in the world with two diehard fan bases. In fighting Cotto, Pacquiao will attempt to win his 7th world title in as many weight classes, which is a feat no other boxer in history has done. A Pacquiao win will likely earn him his third fighter of the year award and his second in a row. He will also likely become the fighter of the decade (2000’s). During this decade, Pacquiao has gone 22-1-2 with 19 knockouts and five world titles in five different weight classes. He has also fought in fight of year candidates against Juan Manuel Marquez (draw in 2004) and Erik Morales (decision loss in 2005). Against future hall of famers (Marco Antonio Barrera, Erik Morales, Juan Manuel Marquez, and Oscar De La Hoya), Pacquiao went 6-1-1 with 4 knockouts and scoring a remarkable 11 knockdowns. He also set the record for Pay Per View buys at 130lbs and below. Only Bernard Hopkins, Joe Calzaghe, and Floyd Mayweather Jr. can make claims to that distinct honor. But it won’t be easy for Pacquiao because he will take on the biggest opponent of his career in Miguel Cotto. Cotto, two years younger than Manny, has fought at Welterweight since 2006 and has gone into the ring at fight night as high at 160lbs. Pacquiao, who weighed 138lbs against Hatton, has never weighed more than 148lbs by fight night. It’s safe to say that Cotto will have at least a ten-pound weight advantage over Pacquiao. And unlike Hatton, who smothers his opposition, Cotto actually uses his strength and power punching ability to defeat his opponents. Cotto will also be the biggest puncher Manny will have ever faced. Cotto is also one of the best body punchers in the game today and has never been questioned about his heart or guts. Don’t expect Cotto be sitting in the corner silent when asked whether he wants to continue with the fight. However, they are still questions about whether Cotto has fully recovered mentally and physically from his fights with Antonio Margarito and Joshua Clottley. Also, style-wise, the bout favors the quick feet and hands of the Pacman because Cotto has never been considered the fastest fighter at Welterweight. Although Cotto has been successful against fast fighters like Zab Judah and Shane Mosley, Pacquiao is different kind of fast and with legitimate power to back that up. It’s clear that there is a lot on the line for both fighters and both will feel a tremendous amount of pressure to come out victorious. Both have Floyd Mayweather in their sights. The winner of Pacquiao-Cotto against Mayweather would be the biggest fight boxing could make. For Pacquiao, it will be his attempt to make history and add to his already impressive resume. For Cotto, it will be the biggest and most watched fight of his career. He is taking on the biggest star and the pound for pound best fighter in boxing. Cotto has already been listed as a 2-1 underdog, which is likely the first time Cotto has been the underdog in his career. And let’s not forget that both fighters are exciting fighters who look for the knockout and are both power punchers. It’s a potential fight of the year candidate. This is the best style match-up since Israel Vasquez vs. Rafael Marquez. Let the hype begin! PPV WARS BEGINS The 2009-year of boxing has featured a small amount of PPV’s. Fights that would have been on PPV a few years ago have been on HBO or Showtime. However, in the fall, two of the biggest PPV’s of the year will be 63 days apart. In September, Floyd Mayweather Jr. takes on Juan Manuel Marquez and in November Pacquiao fights Cotto. Could the fact that boxing fans will spend $55 on the Mayweather PPV prevent them spend another $55 on the Pacquiao PPV or vice-versa? Also, Floyd Mayweather Jr. has essentially laid out the challenge to Pacquiao that he will sell more PPV’s than him. Constantly, Mayweather has proclaimed himself the number one draw in boxing because of his record PPV numbers. That claim will be put to the test because he will take on Marquez, who has never been much of a draw. With Mayweather going on record saying he won’t work with Top Rank, who promotes Pacquiao through at least the end of 2010, the closest thing we will see to Mayweather-Pacquiao competing against one another will be whoever gets the higher PPV numbers. IF YOU ONLY HAD $55… The clear choice to buy is Pacquiao-Cotto in terms of pure boxing entertainment. Although Mayweather-Marquez is a legitimate match-up, paying money to see two fighters who are at their best when on they’re back foot doesn’t seem like a smart buy compared to the November PPV. Plus, as Dan Rafeal of ESPN puts it, in investing in Pacquiao-Cotto, you won’t have to deal with the nonsense of Mayweather. And who knows, maybe if Pacquiao crushes Mayweather in PPV sales, “Money” Mayweather may finally come back to earth and agree to a 50/50 split with Pacquiao. .....source

Cotto Talks Manny Pacquiao Fight, Top Rank Deal

In one of the most anticipated fights of the year, Manny Pacquiao will challenge WBO welterweight champion Miguel Cotto on November 14 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Pacquiao and Cotto reached a deal on Monday and the fight was announced by their mutual promoter, Top Rank.

"It Was a long negotiation, but finally we arrived at an agreement and all is well. Big things were achieved and we are happy with [the negotiation]. We are very happy with everything that was achieved for this fight," said Cotto to El Nuevo Dia. "It is one of the most anticipated fights of this year."

As part of the deal to get the Pacquiao fight, Cotto extended his current contract with Top Rank through the end of 2011. Cotto's contract was going to expire at the end of the year and there were rumors that he might jump ship to another promoter.

"It was one of the clauses in finalizing the deal. I have been with them since the beginning of my career and I'm happy with them," Cotto said.

Cotto plans to his training camp at the start of August. The training camp will once again take place in the state of Florida. Pacquiao will receive the bulk of the money involved. Some say the split could be as high as 65-35 in Pacquiao's favor. Cotto's legal adviser defended the deal. Cotto is expected to make the biggest payday of his entire career.

"One has to realize that Pacquiao has already been involved in some big fights and that has a great value inside the industry, but the agreement is very good for Miguel," said Gabriel Penagaricano.

The promotional tour will start during the early part of September, with stops in New York, Los Angeles and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

.....source

Super Six dates announced! Mark Oct. 17 and Nov. 21 on your calendar

SHOWTIME Sports® Super Six World Boxing Classic, the groundbreaking six-man super middleweight tournament announced last week, will debut with two Group Stage 1 matchups on Saturday, Oct. 17, with the third Group Stage 1 bout taking place on Saturday, Nov. 21. All three world-class matches will air on SHOWTIME®. The initial dates in the unprecedented, celebrated tournament were formally announced Tuesday by Ken Hershman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. Venues will be announced soon. The Super Six World Boxing Classic will be contested on both American and European continents.

In a battle of unbeatens on Oct. 17, Carl “The Cobra” Froch (25-0, 20 KOs) of Nottingham, England, will defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) title against 2004 Olympic Games medalist Andre “The Matrix’’ Dirrell (18-0, 13 KOs) of Flint, Mich.

On the same night, undefeated former middleweight champion “King” Arthur Abraham (30-0, 24 KOs) of Berlin, Germany, will face former undisputed middleweight titleholder Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor (28-3-1, 17 KOs) of Little Rock, Ark.

The third fight in Group Stage 1 competition will take place on Nov. 21 when Mikkel “Viking Warrior” Kessler (41-1, 31 KOs) of Copenhagen, Denmark, risks his World Boxing Association (WBA) belt* against unbeaten 2004 Olympic Games gold medalist Andre “S.O.G.” Ward (19-0, 12 KOs) of Oakland, Calif.

Kessler will face WBA mandatory challenger Gusmyl Perdomo (16-2, 10 KOs) on Saturday, Sept. 12 for the title.

The tournament will continue in 2010 with Group Stages 2 and 3 with Semi-Finals and Finals in spring 2011.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr disses Manny Pacquiao not being his own Boss

In a recent interview with CBS Sports, Floyd Mayweather Jr. was on hand to promote his September 19th bout against Mexican fighter, Juan Manuel Marquez. During the interview, Floyd Mayweather Jr. also discussed the fight many want to see, and that's a fight against Manny Pacquiao. "Everybody wants to see the Pacquiao fight," said Mayweather Jr to CBS Sports. "But it doesn't work like that." Mayweather Jr. went on to discuss how Pacquiao gives up a portion of his money to his Promoter Bob Arum. In doing so, Mayweather Jr. feels Pacquiao is not even his own Boss. "Pacquiao is not his own Boss," said Mayweather Jr., adding: "And he is giving up 27% of his money to Bob Arum, so he's not even his own boss. Once he becomes his own boss, then we can talk. If he's not his own boss, then I ain't got nothing to say to him. It's not hard to find me...everybody knows I am in Las Vegas! Just look for the biggest mansion and the prettiest Rolls Royce and there's me!" .....source

Vitali Ready To Punish Tormenter Haye

There may not be an official announcement as yet but it looks like Vitali Klitschko will defend his WBC heavyweight crown against David Haye in Frankfurt, Germany on September 12.

The bad news for Haye is the 6ft 8inch Ukrainian puncher has vowed to punish the motor mouth Londoner for the insults and now infamous T-shirt stunt which depicted Haye holding up the severed heads of Vitali and his younger brother Wladimir.

Haye was to have challenged Wladimir Klitschko for the Ukrainian’s IBF title last month but Haye pulled out of the eagerly awaited clash with a back injury just two weeks before the fight . A hugely disappointed Wladimir took his frustration out on late replacement Ruslan Chagaev, leaving Haye to chase a clash with older brother Vitali.

So now it is up to Vitali to uphold family honour and dish out the punishment to their mutual tormenter

"He’s insulted the Klitschko family and now he finally gets his punishment," said Vitali. "I’ll shut his big mouth."

"Haye has been negotiating the ring size. To me they’re all the same - four corners and Haye can’t hide in any ring. I’ll hunt him down and punish him badly for his heads number," added the 38 year-old WBC champ

Haye in return said: "Vitali has beaten only old, defenceless types who just turn up for a pay day."

Assuming there is no last minute hitches, contracts are due to be signed today.

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Keller puts Title on the line before Super Six Tourney

Both Mikkel Kessler (41-1, 31 KOs) and Team Sauerland announced with the winning bid of $2,114,000 (USD) his first fight under his new promotional team will be a mandatory defense of his WBA super middleweight title against Gusmyl Perdomo (16-2, 10 KOs).

Chris Meyer, General Manager of Team Sauerland, stated, “We really wanted to promote Mikkel´s first fight as a member of our team,” he said. “We will announce the date and the venue soon.”

“I am happy to be back in the ring,” Kessler said. “It will mark the beginning of a long and successful cooperation with Team Sauerland.”

A date being looked at is Sept. 12. Just a few weeks before the start of the 168 lb. tournament.

While Perdomo, who hails from Venezuela, is relatively unknown it still can be viewed as a huge gamble for Kessler to put his title on the line right before the much anticipated super middleweight classic.

Kessler, however, just sees it as part of the job. “As the mandatory challenger he deserves to fight for the title,” added Kessler. “I will definitely not underestimate him.”

“Of course I want to take my WBA belt into the tournament,” Kessler said. “The fight against Perdomo is the last obstacle that I need to overcome. I will be prepared and I will be ready for him.”

Kessler taking this fight can also be viewed as a good thing as he has not been in the ring since October of last year when he stopped Danio Haussler in the third round in the initial defense of his WBA strap.

If successful against Perdomo, Kessler is scheduled to defend his title against 2004 Olympic gold medalist Andre "S.O.G." Ward in the first stage of the potentially historic tournament.

....source

Manny Pacquiao Vs Miguel Cotto: The Fight of the Year

Fight fans are beginning to breathe easier now that the finalization and signatures of contracts are appearing to draw closer and closer as each day passes for what may easily be the fight of the year between arguably the two best fighters in the game, Pound for Pound King and 6-Time World Champion Manny Pacquiao, 49-3-2, 37 KO’s, and the hard hitting, technically sound and current WBO Welterweight Champion Miguel Cotto, 34-1, 27 KO’s. It’s always been said and widely understood that styles make fights and never has that been more true in the matching up of these two fighters. Pound for Pound King Manny Pacquiao’s speed and constant movement always presents a danger to any fighter that enters the ring with him and in his most recent fights has proven to be too much of an obstacle to overcome and sustain for his opponents. In his fight with Oscar De La Hoya, Pacquiao’s speed and ability to move around the ring proved to be too much of a deterrent for Oscar to effectively carry out his game plan. Throughout the entire fight we saw De La Hoya try to simply contain his opponent long enough to simply throw a punch, let alone land any. All the while Manny was too busy tagging Oscar’s face with jabs, straights, hooks, uppercuts and I even think I saw him throw a kitchen sink at Oscar also at one point during the fight. The end result was Oscar being exposed as a fighter who can no longer come up with wins in his big fights and who should probably hang up the gloves while his reputation as a great fighter was still safe from persecution and criticism and Mr. Manny Pacquiao claiming his throne as boxing’s undisputed Pound for Pound King. Another fight that captured the speed and complexity of Pacquiao’s boxing ability is his most recent destruction of British National Icon Ricky “The Hitman” Hatton. I don’t think I need to remind everyone of the obliteration that took place that night. We all felt and continue to feel bad for what happened to the likeable lad. Simply stated, The Hitman proved to be no match for The King. While Pacquiao razzles and dazzles his opponents with speed and throwing many punches from many different and awkward angles, Miguel Cotto has proven to be one of boxing’s most sound technicians of executing strategy and literally breaking down opponents. In his thirty four victories, twenty seven of them have come by knockout proving that he is also an extremely heavy handed hitter who is capable of breaking down an opponent to the point of submission if you haven’t been lucky enough to be knocked out by one of his all leverage, pure power hooks or straight right hands. What amazes those who watch Cotto is his ability to adapt during the fight, the high boxing intelligence that he possesses is evident when you see him make the necessary adjustments mid-fight in order to do what is needed to earn the victory. In his most recent fight with legit contender and hard hitting Joshua Clottey, we saw Cotto fight through a nasty cut in which I believe any other fighter would have turned to their corner or the referee to stop the fight and go to the cards if they were up on them for the decision; as was Cotto, to outlast, outpoint and outpunch Clottey. While some may say that Clottey was robbed, it was evident that Cotto was the busier fighter, with the more effective punches. Honestly, say what you will about the fight but the heart in which Cotto showed is what won over all the critics, judges and fans of the sport and in boxing, heart matters. When Pacquiao’s speedy and busy style meets with Cotto’s hard-hitting and stalking technique fight fans all over will watch with awe, amazement and appreciation of what these warriors will have to offer on fight night. I honestly believe that the winner of that fight will depend on which fighter has the better temperament that night. If Manny enters the fight and wants to go toe to toe with Cotto in the center of the ring like he likes to do with opponents at times in order to prove his heart and entertain the fans then I do believe Manny will get a taste of his own knockout medicine which he administered to Hatton. Simply stated, if they brawl the naturally bigger, stronger and harder hitting Cotto will knock Pacquiao out cold. However, if Manny sticks to the game plan that his hall of fame and possibly the greatest trainer in the game Freddie Roach composes, then he has a better shot of earning a decision over Cotto. Although Pacquiao is the faster and busier fighter, Cotto’s versatility and boxing skill will prove to be a heavy load to deal with for Pacquiao. In his fight against future Hall of Fame fighter and current WBA Welterweight Champion Sugar Shane Mosley, Cotto displayed his superb boxing skills which completely baffled Mosley and led Cotto to earn a decision over the similarly fast and busy fighter Mosley. Again, if Cotto makes the necessary adjustments mid-fight I can see him etching out a split decision over Pacquiao as a result of constantly stalking and probably landing the more effective punches (two key components of judging). The only thing that Cotto fans have to worry about is whether or not cuts will play a major factor and if the memory of his tainted loss to former WBA Welterweight Champion Antonio “Loaded Gloves” Margarito, is still lingering in his mind. If so, then Pacquiao’s skill and style will prove to be too much for Cotto. However, I don’t think it will, seeing as how his professional relationship with his uncle Evangelista Cotto is done and having overcome a nasty cut and a comparably similar Joshua Clottey to Antonio Margartio; all of which can do nothing but boost Cotto’s confidence. Pacquiao fans should be a little nervous about this match up because this fight will probably Manny’s biggest test and Cotto will be his toughest opponent and seeing as how Manny has been knocked down and hurt in the past to fighters who were much smaller and weaker than Cotto, they should be even more concerned for his crown. All in all, I see the Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto fight being fight of the year and Pacquiao’s warrior heart being his downfall in leading him into a brawl with the powerful Miguel Cotto and Cotto knocking him out somewhere after round eight. ....source

Will Khan Fight Erik Morales Next?

With the potential fight against Ricky Hatton off the table after Ricky quashed those rumors by saying he wasn’t interested, WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (21-1, 15 KO’s) has to find someone for his next opponent. Freddie Roach, Khan’s trainer, mentioned Erik Morales as a potential opponent a couple of weeks ago. Morales, 33, hasn’t fought in two years and has ballooned up in weight since that time. However, he reportedly is interested in making a comeback, so a fight with Khan might be an option. Aside from the fact that Morales has been largely inactive for ages, he also fought at a smaller weight class for most of his career and only in his last fight, a 12 round decision loss to David Diaz in August 2007, did Morales move up to lightweight. it’s doubtful that the boxing public would be able to stomach a fight against Morales, who has lost five out of his last six fights since 2004.

Of course, Morales’ name still remains popular among boxing fans, but it wouldn’t exactly be the best fight that Khan could dig up for his next opponent. I’m not one to question Roach’s decision making, because he is after all considered to be a mini genius for the success that Pacquiao has made in the few years with wins over De La Hoya, Hatton and Morales.

However, Khan has taken heat for fighting what many people consider to be hand picked opponents since his 1st round wipeout loss to Breidis Prescott last year. Khan rebounded from the loss with a 5th round technical decision over the smallish 35-year-old Marco Antonio Barrera, then Amir selected WBA light welterweight champion Andriy Kotelnik to fight next, a fighter that many boxing experts feel was the weakest of the light welterweight champions.

If Khan follows that fight with a bout against Morales, it might not give a favorable impression to his fans. I doubt that Khan will want to be labeled as a cherry picker, but that might end up being the case if he fights Morales and then follows that with a mandatory defense against his number #1 challenger in the WBA, little known Dimitry Salita.

At that point, Khan could then find another optional defense and who knows what Khan and Roach would pick next at that point. I know that it probably won’t be a big slugger like Marcos Maidana. With an optional defense, it could be another Morales-type opponent for Khan.

Heck, Khan might end up being the Felix Sturm of the light welterweight division. Sure, Khan would make a lot of money, no doubt, but turn away potential boxing fans while doing so. Initially, I thought Khan and Roach were being brave by looking for a fight against Ricky Hatton. However, with the bad knockout loss that Hatton suffered against Manny Pacquiao in his last fight, I don’t think it would take too much bravery to fight him at this point.

As for Morales, there is little doubt that Khan would easily beat the former champion. I doubt that Khan would knock him out, because Khan would likely be trying to protect his weak chin too much and would be taking few risks against the rusty fighter. In the end, Khan would get the win, but probably turn off fans by another weak choice of an opponent.

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Pacquiao-Cotto blockbuster set

It matters little to Top Rank promoter Bob Arum that Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto are each regarded as among the world’s 10 finest boxers. Arum is simply thrilled that the fight between them that he finalized last week while on vacation in Israel and Italy will, in fact, be a fight.

Arum said Monday that Pacquiao and Cotto will meet in a fight with a 145-pound weight limit on Nov. 14 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on HBO Pay Per View. Pacquiao is a unanimous No. 1 in the Yahoo! Sports poll of the world’s top boxing writers. Cotto is sixth and that alone should make for an intriguing matchup.

Arum, though, likes the style mix between them.

“The significance of this fight is if you know the body of work of these two fighters,” Arum said. “When these guys get into the ring, there will be a confrontation. People who watch know they’ll be entertained. This will sort of be an edge-of-your-seat kind of a fight. It’s an all-action, all-out battle where guys are going to demonstrate toughness, courage and resilience.

“It’s definitely not going to be a boxing exhibition where two guys are running circles around each other. There are some fights that should properly be called boxing matches, but this is one where it’s totally accurate to call it a fight.”

The bout and the date had been long rumored, but the hang-up was getting the men to agree on a weight. Cotto holds the World Boxing Organization welterweight belt and has difficulty going much below 147.

Pacquiao, who still has only had three of his 54 bouts above 130 pounds, preferred it to be as low as possible and no higher than 144. Cotto’s physical trainer said he couldn’t safely fight below 145 pounds and Pacquiao ultimately agreed to the weight.

Arum expects the fight to perform as well at the gate as Pacquiao’s dominating second-round stoppage of Ricky Hatton, which produced $8.9 million in ticket revenue at the MGM Grand Garden, but he’s hopeful it will exceed it in pay-per-view sales.

Pacquiao-Hatton did 850,000 on pay-per-view and Arum believes Pacquiao-Cotto has the potential to surpass that.

“With all due respect to Ricky, I think Cotto, as a great Puerto Rican star, brings a larger fan base in the U.S. audience,” Arum said. “I really think we’ll be able to do north of 850,000 with this one.”

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Pacquiao-Cotto sealed at 145 lb

MANILA, Philippines - It took a 15-minute phone conversation with Bob Arum for Manny Pacquiao to agree to fight Miguel Cotto in November.

At 145 pounds flat.

“It’s done,” said Pacquiao’s adviser, Mike Koncz, over the phone last night, sounding happy that the Filipino pound-for-pound champion has finally come to a decision on whom to fight next.

Koncz was scheduled to leave for Los Angeles last night to meet with Arum and discuss the final details on the fight contract which has yet to be signed by the 30-year-old superstar.

“No contract has been signed but Manny and Bob had a verbal agreement. And we’ve never backed out of any verbal agreement so Bob is happy with that for the time being,” said Koncz.

Pacquiao was busy shooting a movie when The STAR tried to contact him last night.

Negotiations for Pacquiao’s next fight took a sudden twist last week when Shane Mosley, the WBA welterweight (147 lb) champion, said he’s willing to fight the Filipino at 140 lb, and get 40 percent of the purse.

Cotto, the WBO welterweight champion, had insisted that he’d only fight Pacquiao at 145 lb, and not a fraction lower than that. This gave Pacquiao some doubts on whether he’d take the Mosley challenge instead.

Pacquiao’s lawyer, Franklin Gacal, said they wanted Cotto to drop down another pound or two, but now that everything’s been agreed upon, it’s time to focus on Cotto.

Koncz did not say what made Pacquiao seal the deal with Arum, the legendary promoter and master negotiator.

“Manny had a personal phone conversation with Bob Arum the other night and it lasted 15 minutes. Some adjustments were made and Manny has agreed to fight Miguel Cotto,” said Koncz.

“They resolved everything. They talked for about 15 minutes,” said Koncz.

Pacquiao had wanted his next fight staged on Oct. 17 but Arum, who also owns the promotional rights over Cotto, said that would run against the World Series schedule, and pushed the date to Nov. 14.

The extra month will also give Pacquiao ample time to finish all his previous commitments, incuding two movies he has to make, probably another string of commercials, some business deals and more time with his family.

“The extra month gives him all the time to finish all these. And by holding it in November, we want to maximize the dollars,” said Koncz.

The Canadian ring adviser did not elaborate on what the adjustments and agreed upon between Pacquiao and Arum although certainly it had to do something with the economics.

“But we don’t want to discuss that,” said Koncz who expects the fight contract to be sealed, signed and delivered soon.

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